Efficacy of Aminophylline for Treatment of Recurrent Symptomatic Bradycardia After Spinal Cord Injury

Cardiac dysrhythmias and cardiac arrest can occur after acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Disrupted sympathetic innervation after SCI results in unopposed parasympathetic activity leading to baseline bradycardia. Hence, vagal stimulation can result in episodes of exaggerated symptomatic bradycardia. Data supporting pharmacologic intervention for treatment of symptomatic bradycardia after SCI are limited. We describe a patient who sustained a high cervical SCI and subsequently developed episodic symptomatic bradycardia. The addition of aminophylline to the patient's therapeutic regimen was associated with resolution of the bradycardia. Throughout her treatment course, the patient's serum theophylline concentrations were 1.9-3.4 mg/L. These levels were consistent with those identified in other case reports describing treatment with methylxanthines to prevent episodic bradycardia after SCI. Our understanding of drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in patients with acute SCI is limited and provides an ideal opportunity for further study in this area.